Apple Teams With Record Labels: Report

Apple is teaming with four record labels to bundle more interactive features in an effort to boost digital sales of albums, a report says.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Apple ( AAPL) is working with four record labels to stimulate digital sales of albums, the Financial Times reports.

Apple is working with labels EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music and Universal Music Group, on a project the company has codenamed "Cocktail", the newspaper reports, citing people familiar with the situation.

Apple plans to bundle a new interactive booklet, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads, a move it hopes will change buying trends on its iTunes store, the Financial Times reports.

The labels and Apple are working to launch the project in September, the report says.

Apple also is moving separately to offer a portable, tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season. The device could be launched alongside the new content deals, including those aimed at stimulating sales of CD-length music, the Financial Times reports, citing people briefed on the project.

The new touch-sensitive device Apple is working on will have a screen that may be up to 10 inches diagonally. It will connect to the Internet like the iPod Touch. It probably won't have phone capability but will have access to Apple's online stores, the newspaper adds.

Book publishers have been in talks with Apple about having their services offered with the new computer, which could provide competition to Amazon's ( AMZN) Kindle, the report says.